We recently connected with Amanda Swenson and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

To really tell you this story it helps to have a little background on my early life. For sake of time let’s speed things up.

The idea for GEM Skin came from my life story. I struggled with depression most of my life. Self care was something I thought was extremely selfish and my skincare routine consisted of washing my face in the shower when I got a shower. As a mom of 4 boys we played with legos, took hikes, played in the mud, etc. Things that seemed girly had never really existed in my life even before having boys. I am the oldest of 4 with 3 younger brothers.

In my early 30’s when my youngest was still a toddler my skin started to change. It was dry, wrinkles started to appear, and when I put on makeup it just looked worse. I already struggled with self worth and depression so this shift scared me. I threw myself into learning about makeup thinking I just didn’t know how to apply it or bought the wrong brand. I spend so much time and money learning everything I could with no change. I was in a beauty group on facebook with thousands of women so I got the courage to ask for help. Most of the responses were other brands to try or asking troubleshooting questions until someone asked me what my skin care routine was like. I laughed and wrote “I wash my face in the shower on days that I get a shower. So like once a week.” I had no idea where to start or that this was an important factor.

This girl has no clue how much that question and her response to me afterward would change my life. She introduced me to Korean skin care so that I had a guide and sent me a link to a book on skin. I devoured it. The cultural differences blew me away. These women in other countries not only knew the secrets but passed them down teaching their children the importance of taking care of their skin like we teach ours to brush their teeth. They weren’t just teaching skincare but a way of life. Skincare is selfcare. Learning to take care of your needs isn’t selfish but a priority of leading a healthy life.

Fast forward to opening my esthetics business I knew this concept had to be incorporated into the name as a symbol that learning to take care of your skin was more than just a relaxing facial. I wanted to give back what took me years to understand. Skincare had been my empowering moment and maybe it could be for other people as well.

In the US we look at the aesthetic industry as if its a luxury that only the rich can afford while making themselves look like perfect dolls. It felt unattainable and for me instead of helping me love myself it just pointed out more ways I wasn’t beautiful and needed to change. I think my studio is very unique and I hope to change the industry by helping people achieve their skin goals to have glowing skin that helps them feel empowered to be their most magnificent selves. To be honest, I didn’t know if it would work but I did know I wasn’t alone and if I helped just one person change their lives the way mine had through their skin, it was worth it.

Amanda, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

How I got into this industry wasn’t an easy journey. I dabbled in my own business many times by creating things I sold on etsy, direct sales, and running a fashion business out of my house. In 2017 I started selling hair care that ignited my already growing passion of skincare. I’d spent a lot of time trying to understand my skin, the way it worked, and why/how products worked. Learning about how your hair works was the exact same concept. This was all my side hustle until 2018 when my family opened Marble Slab and Great American Cookie in Five Forks. My life shifted from stay at home mom and side hustler extraordinaire to full time operations manager.

The one thing that spilled over was my love for coaching and helping teenagers. For the next 4 years I built that business into a thriving community store that helped teens grow as leaders. I made so many mistakes along the way but I am so proud of what I built there. Through the pandemic it taught me how to find new ways to advertise, market, and make money when it seemed impossible. We were in the top 25 of stores during 2020. As much as the business was a blessing, it was also causing a huge amount of stress on myself and our family. I just added more and more to my plate hoping to somehow prove my worth/value. In 2022 I knew this wasn’t working. A conversation with my oldest son and a few employees changed how I saw my future. They pointed out that I spent so much time telling them never to limit themselves, don’t listen when people tell you you can’t, and be YOU but somehow I wasn’t living that myself.

At 38 I went back to school and got my esthetics license. I had very little intention of opening my own business much less working in the industry. I thought that wasn’t possible for me. I applied at several places only to either get turned down for lack of industry experience or offered minimum wage which I wasn’t willing to accept. August 2022 the store was sold suddenly giving me every opportunity to create my own future.

GEM Skin has been open since April of 2023. I only knew that I wanted to help people like me who struggled to understand themselves, skincare, and prioritizing themselves. I found Hale and Hush years before and knew that would be the first product line I sold. It focused on skin health and people who had or were currently undergoing cancer treatments. The brand is much more than that but I became sensitive skin certified almost immediately. A lot of the skin conditions we see are caused by an unhealthy skin barrier which Hale and Hush beautifully repairs.

I am most proud of having the courage to just start. I love hearing from my clients who not only have changed their skin but they better understand it. I think my favorite part is hearing them pass on the advice to someone else struggling with their skin. Education is a huge part of what I do. Facials are great but if you’re leaving with great skin without the tools to keep that going I am not doing my job.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Authenticity. I realize how simple that sounds but it is truly what builds your clientele that invest into you and your business. I knew from the restaurant industry that customer service had be outstanding and go beyond the price point of what we were selling. If in every aspect of your business you are being authentically you, people will buy in.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Most of my work background has been managing people in some way. I can’t say that there is one book or resource in particular that stands out in my mind. I have read so many and each one has been helpful in some way. The biggest thing I would say that made a difference along the way was asking myself the hard questions. The more I grew as a person, the better I was able to show up as a boss. The same thing translate today with the studio. I struggle the most when I stop making time for my personal growth. TED Talks are also a great resource!

Contact Info:

• Website: gemskinestheticsstudio.com
• Instagram: gemskin_esthetics
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091735561932

Image Credits
Myself